I’ve not been posting much recently, because of tendonitis in my mouse hand. After a day at work, I really don’t want to use the computer. Plus, it contributes to lots of typos.
But worst of all - it’s my birl finger! I’ve not been able to practice even on my practice chanter, let alone the pipes, without it hurting.
Doc says anti-inflamatories and rest. It’s slowly getting better, but I hate having to get going on my piping practice and have to stop after a couple of minutes.
Perhaps I’ll take up a new Scottish hobby - like drinking fine malts. But the way things have been going, I’d probably end up with “drinker’s elbow” or something.
I get tendonitis from my shoulder to my fingers when I use forceps at work with my left hand. I’m left-handed, and have to wield forceps a lot at work. I now have to do it with my right hand, and nothing says competence like dropping sterile instruments with a very loud clatter. :smack:
I literally feel your pain; for months now my right hand hurts like the dickens by midday, my work involves massive use of the mouse (I´m a 3D animator) so there´s no escape from it. The good thing is that my understanding of the pain is that it´s not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, I got strenght, sensitivity and all that unaffected, it just hurts from the elbow down to the very tip of my index finger.
Every now and then I switch hands and use the mouse with the left one, it´s not elegant, but it gives me some relief. Another thing that seems to ease the pain is, curiously, to tap vigorously on the desk, as in playing table piano; I don´t know the mechanics of that but it helps a lot in my case.
Now that I think of it I could bring back my Yamaha keyboard to the studio to play a little during breaks (I had it there for a couple months some time ago)
I have chronic tendonitis (tennis elbow type) in both my elbows. Not from playing tennis, I assure you (I wish). From typing at a computer very intensively, coupled with a lot of cut and paste mouse action.
I second that you should switch mouse hands periodically to give your hand a break.
Also, my (very agressive) physical therapy including icing my elbows 3-5 times a day. You might ask your doctor if you should ice your injury.
Finally, some very strange things can aggravate these injuries. Using a hammer. Sleeping all curled up. Writing too much with a pen or pencil.
If you do a lot of mouseclicking try a self-clicking application like www.activeclick.com.
I feel for ya. As a secretary-type, I started doing all my mousing at home with my left hand a couple of years ago, and I am happy to report that it doesn’t take long before you’re quite proficient. I play all my computer games left-handed now, too, just fine (I’m not into heavy games, just Cubis and stuff, but still).
Are you stretching your hands, fingers, wrists and elbows frequently? Must keep blood flow, you know.